Sturgill Simpson Takes Role in Upcoming ‘Queen & Slim’ Movie

Sturgill Simpson will be back in front of the cameras for a role in the upcoming movie Queen & Slim. Written by Emmy Awards-winning screenwriter Lena Waithe, the romantic drama follows the story of a black couple who face a life-threatening situation on their first date and are forced to go on the run.

According to Cleveland.com, Queen & Slim was being filmed in Cleveland, Ohio, at the end of January. Directed by Melina Matsoukas, the talent behind HBO’s hit show Insecure, the upcoming movie stars Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and Jodie Turner-Smith (Nightflyers); Simpson's role in the film has not yet been revealed, but a casting website recently advertised the need for a stand-in for the singer-songwriter along with stand-ins for the movie's two stars.

“To me, this is protest art,” Waithe tells Variety. “It’s about being black and trying to fall in love in a world that’s burning down around you.”

Matsoukas adds that the film highlights the struggle of love in the black community in the midst of racial turmoil: “It’s a film that defines black love as a revolutionary act," she says. "It shows that our union is the greatest weapon against the assault on black people in America.”